The 48th Hunger Games
by Aku Okami Knows All
Summary: Flicker Lexington knew she would never stand a chance. 14, scrawny, 5"0. If she could never stand up to her psychopathic family members, how would she ever stand up to an arena filled with 37 teenagers? They just had to decide to pick 38 that year, didn't they?
1. Chapter 1

**Note: This is not a select your own tribute. If someone asks to have an OC in it I will say no, each character is already planned out. This story was originally planned to be from four different points of views, each telling totally different stories of the same Game. But my friends didn't write more than 5 pages.**

**PS: Don't assume Flicker is going to win just because is from her point of view. I actually haven't decided if I'm going to kill her or not, because I have an ending in mind for both of those scenarios.**

**PS Again: This story is about the Hunger Games, but my style isn't as dark and gloomy as I would have liked it to been for this story.**

**...**

The sky darkens with ashen clouds as the water washes down the saw-dust covered hills and the workers' well-worn sap ridden clothes. Everyones' face brighten as the supervisor calls out that we can start packing up. I hop off the stump I've been sitting on vacantly for the last hour or so and join in picking up the saws and rope scattered around the forest clearing.

"All the lumber packed into the crate?" The supervisor calls out, gesturing to a huge box filled past the top with logs, labeled with a red 7. "Yes, yes Charles! Can we all go home now?" Snaps a middle-aged woman named Clara. He puffs out his chest and huffs with disapproval at the nickname. We gave up trying to say his real name, Caperniacous Adderalfinch, a long time ago.

"You're all dismissed." Mr. Charles says, then turns to make sure all supplies are accounted for as all the workers shout their farewells.

"You know you're free to go too, Flicker." He says to me after a few minutes. "Yeah I know," I reply "my shift ended an hour ago. I was just enjoying the quiet before I went back home." A grimace crosses his face. "If you think chainsaws are quiet, I'd hate to think how loud your house is."

"Yeah, eight kids tend to be a bit much." I grumble. He gives a chuckle and replies "Well don't stay out too long, the peacekeepers will think you're trying to steal wood if you stay out after dark." He straightens his important businessy suite before turning to leave.

"Oh and Flicker, good luck tomorrow." He whispers sympathetically. My muscles automatically tense when I realize what he means, and shake my head and try to forget it. Instead I just focus on his previous comment about out paranoid peacekeepers. I don't really know why the hell he thinks the peacekeepers would assume I want their logs, but I follow his advice and leave before the sun sets.

"Bye trees" I whisper, patting the large crate before walking out into the forest. I head down the compacted dirt path through the pine trees, looking at the sections we recently cleared. The trees were already beginning to grow back. Good thing too, I would hate for all of this woodland to stay bare for too long.

It never stops amazing me how the Capitol keeps making new muttations for trees that will grow bigger and faster. What are they doing with all this lumber that they need so much? Wear it? Bathe in it? Eat it? The Capitol is so eccentric, any of these things wouldn't really surprise me.

I slip off the dirt path into the trees, taking a short cut to our house. Usually I take the long way around to stall my return further, but I'm just too tired today.

I hear the sound of many voices trying to talk over one another before I even enter the house. The electricity is still going judging by the lit up windows. Being near a lumbering section the power in our area is usually on throughout the whole work day.

I drag my feet up the dirty stone steps and tense before opening the chipped painted blue door. Then the explosion of sound hits me.

"Well Lilly can wear Sunshine's dress because she won't nee-"

"No! I'll still going to be at the reaping mom! What am I supposed to wear?"

"Mom you can just let Sunshine wear one of your dresses-"

"NO! You girls will NOT be wearing my clothes!"

"Brum brum brum! I'm a chain saw!"

"Mommy's busy Luna, go tell someone else."

"I'm home"

No reaction.

"Well Asyga won't need to come anyway-"

"I don't want to go!"

"But everyone has to, whether reaping age or not."

"I'M HOME!" I below. They all quit fighting and turn to me. "Welcome home Flicker, we'll have dinner soon."

They go back to their loud debate about weather or not Sunshine should dress formally for the reaping. Well not all of them. My brother Asyga pretends to choke his twin Anyia which is returned with loud shrill shrieks from her, and the shrimps are off in their own little world.

There's no seats left at the table, with Lilly seated by my mother and Sunshine, and only one chair empty obviously for my father. The twins thrash around on one side, while the younger Twilight, Sylias, and Luna sat on the other side of the table.

I pick Luna up, sit on her seat, then plunk her down on my lap.

"So how's being a chain saw working for you?" I ask her. She just makes more noises in reply. "Hi Flicker!" Sylias and Twilight chirp in unison, which has become a habit of theirs. "Hey shrimps" I say back, "So what are the crazies fighting about?"

Twilight shrugs. "Who wears what to the rupping." There's not point to correct her, as she has been calling the reaping that ever since she knew what it was. "As long as I'm not naked I don't care." I answer.

Just then my father enters with a large tray carrying ten plates, each with a different portion of some sort of goop, and a leg of turkey. I assume this is a special occasion as meat is usually a luxury we can't affored. He seats himself between his wife and Sunshine, and passes out the bowls.

"Before you children eat, I have a very important announcement." He calls out. Asyga acknowledges this with a loud theatrical groan. "Don't worry it happens to be good news!" my mother says in an obnoxious cooing voice.

I roll my eyes. "Oh please don't tell me you're-"

"I'm pregnant!"

Great. We definitely need more kids.

Lilly and Sunshine are quick to congratulate her, and the twins begin to call out all kinds crazy name ideas. Twilight looks a somewhere between nervous and excited, Luna still thinks she's a chainsaw, and judging by his blank face, I don't think Sylias knows what pregnant means.

"It means we'll have more kids" I whisper to him. His eyes widen. "More? Do we need more?" he squeaks.

My mother looks slightly annoyed. "Of course Twilight honey, we need more kids or we won't have enough food! Who else is going to sign up for the tesserae?" she laughs as though this is a joke, but I know it's not.

She and my father always say horrible things but then pretend it's a lie. As a child I quickly got over that belief you have that you're parents are the most wonderful thing in the world. Even at a young age I questioned why my mother was so plump, while the rest of us are thin. I would ask her why she always sat at home, even while not pregnant, when I have been working for the past five years, even though I'm 14.

"Well, Flicker?" Lilly asks, irritated. I look up and realize I haven't heard anything she said to me. "Sorry, what?" I ask. She purses her lips and shakes her head, making her annoyingly glossy hair swish back and forth.

"She asked why you were glaring at the floor." Twilight explains helpfully. "Oh uh…" I couldn't tell them the reason was because I thought they were all greedy monsters. "I'm just nervous about tomorrows reaping day" I say. It isn't really a lie, because that has been on my mind too.

"It's dumb worrying about it, you won't even get chosen." Sunshine retorts, which is easy for her to say. She's 19 and doesn't have to worry anymore. And even if she did get pulled she probably would win, she's so muscular. The twins give me a sympathetic glance even though they too don't have to worry. They're 11 so their freckly little faces are thankfully safe for another year.

"Well _I_ for one would be proud if I were chosen." Lilly interjects with a wave of arrogance. "And you should be," says father with an approving grin. "It would be a stroke of luck if one of you kids were whisked off in the games where we wouldn't have to waste food on you anymore."

My mother begins to laugh, joined by Sunshine and Lilly. "You know what, I'm not even hungry" I say coldly, pushing my untouched food towards Sylias, who has had his little green eyes watching it from under a mess of dark brown hair.

Sliding out from under Luna, I leave and walk off into my shared bedroom. I get ready for bed, taking off my damp work uniform and change into a large plain shirt, then flop down on the blanket and pillow laid in the corner of the room. It really isn't much of a bed, but it is undeniably comfortable.

I run my fingers absentmindedly through my short pale brown hair. It doesn't require much maintenance as it barley grows past my chin, but still spikes out oddly. I focus on the sound of the rain, growing louder and watch the silhouettes of feet pass by the bottom of the door, trying to push all the blood, starvation, and death known as the Hunger Games out of my mind.

After about a few hours, I hear the door open and Lilly and Sunshine enter. I can feel them both glaring at me with their pretty brown eyes before getting into their own beds on the far side of the room. "That was really, really rude how you left the table like that. You should apologize to mom, you seriously upset her." One of them lectures. I roll over and pretend to snore.

I used to retort to comments like that, but bruises from both of them have taught me better. It's not worth it to argue with my older sisters. After awhile they're breathing becomes level as they fall asleep.

An hour or so later, all the lights are off and the only sound is breathing and the rain. I try to keep my mind off the games, but the silence isn't drowning out the canon shots and screams I can hear in my mind. It's easy to ignore the anxiety that comes when the reaping grows near when I'm busy at work, but alone with my thoughts the fear consumes me.

Around midnight the door opens again, then shuts quietly. Light foot steps come towards my bed, and I feel someone's figure slip under my blanket and prod me in the back. "Are you sleeping Flicker?" Twilight's voice whispers. I roll over and whisper back "No, why aren't you?"

"Have you ever heard Asyga snore?" she asks, and I chuckle under my breath and say, "Unfortunately, no. I have to share a bedroom with the crazies." She giggles.

"You know, you're eyes kind of reflect in the dark. Like a cat" Twilight observes. "They're so pretty, I wish I had green eyes like you."

"Not just like me, Sylias and the twins have green eyes too."

"Yeah but they're not as bright as yours, they look more brown like mine and Luna's. You have the best eyes."

"Well thanks shrimp. You have pretty eyes too."

She giggles again. We talk quietly for awhile longer before she gives a huge loud yawn. "I guess I'll go back to the other room. Goodnight Flicker." She slips out of the bed and a few seconds later the door opens and she leaves.

I feel a bit calmer then I had been before. Twilight can always help me feel better, even though I can't necessarily confine in her. At seven she still doesn't know much about the reaping or the games, only that they're bad because they make me upset. She isn't aware of all the evil in this world or how I got the scar above my left thigh. And she doesn't need to.

I want her, and the other shrimps to enjoy their ignorance until they're the twins' age and have to face the truth, about out parents and about Panem's twisted existence.

All of these thoughts racing through my head eventually send me into a deep disturbed sleep, which is worse than no sleep at all.

A pillow smacks me across the face. "NO SLEEPING!" I hear a voice order, and I groggily open my eyes to two blurry figures with bright orange hair.

Damn the Capitol for giving District 7 the earliest reaping. It's no fun to be dragged out of bed so early after a short fitful sleep. The twins of course took the liberty of the literal dragging. I don't know what's with their inhuman ability to get up and be frisky at four in the morning.

"I'll wake up when Lilly and Sunshine do," I grumble, pushing their bright evil smiling faces away with my hand. "Let me sleep awhile longer." Anyia laughs. "You're the last one asleep silly! Now get up! Up, up, up!"

"Nooo!" I moan, crawling back into my bed and pulling the covers up over my face. Asyga shakes his head sadly and says, "I hoped it wouldn't have to come to this. Luna!" Loud thumping footsteps race across my room, accompanied by a powerful battle cry. I nervously peek my head out from under the blanket to see Luna charging at me, her dark brown hair flying behind her. She pounces onto my stomach with an impact that leaves me breathless.

"Oof! Okay. I'm up, I'm up." I whimper, pushing the toddler off me as she laughs uncontrollably. "And as for you two~" I purr evilly. Asyga and Anyia exchange quick nervous glances before giving out a noisy shriek and bolt across the room. They almost make it into their own bedroom across from mine before I tackle them in the hallway. We all start giggling which turns into shrieking laughter when Luna throws herself onto us as well.

When we regain our senses I notice a foot tapping agitatedly in front of us. I look up and see my mother with her arms crossed and her eyebrows raised disapprovingly. "Why are you children playing around? It's a very serious day. And Flicker, you're not even dressed yet!"

I slowly get up, feeling my legs wobble clumsily. "Well?" she asks me. "Well what?" I say back. Her slim, un-calloused hand slaps me across my face, her long nails breaking skin. "Go change immediately." She commands. "Yes, _ma'am_." I reply with heavy sarcasm on the last word. My mother suddenly puts on a very distressed expression. "Flicker, I don't know why you always try to argue with me." She shakes her head with a ridiculous pout. "I've never done anything but care for you."

I go back into my room and change into black pants and a white collared shirt, the only clothes that aren't tattered or loose. I inherit most of my clothes from Lilly, and though we are both evidently thin due to a large family and living in a district not famous for food our figures are very different. I'm more slender than and just about as tall as Lilly, despite our three year age gap. Plus she is a lot more curvy and round.

The door swings open and my father steps in, takes in my appearance, and then sighs. "No Flicker. You need to look more lady-like." "I don't own any skirts or dresses nice enough for reaping" I mutter, shrugging. "Well…I guess I'll go ask Sunshine if she has any extra skirts." He says, and then he leaves.

I lean against the old splintering cabinet we keep our clothes in and sigh. What does it matter how we look? It's not going to stop you from being sent to your death. Sunshine walks into the bedroom looking agitated in a bright yellow gown with a floral pattern. She pushes past me and yanks open the cabinet door, rummages around for a few minutes, then holds out and armful of clothes.

I take them, feeling sheepish. "Thanks" I mumble. She looks at me for a second blankly, then grabs grabs my shoulders, yanks me forward, and knees me in the gut before I even have time to react. Winded, I double over dropping the clothes. "What was that for?" I ask sorrowfully. "For ignoring me last night." Sunshine retorts, then walks away.

I pick up the clothes and examine them trying to ignore the excruciating pain. A long light blue skirt, a white tank top, and a matching blue jacket. They look okay even though I doubt they'll fit properly. I change into them.

Someone knocks on the door and I walk over to open it. Sylias looks up at me in a handsome green collared shirt and white pants. "You look rather fancy there shrimp." I say teasingly. He looks at me and wrinkles his nose. "And you look like a girl." He says. Suddenly his eyes widen, looking at my cheek. I touch the wound mother left and then look at my hand, my fingers smeared with blood.

"I wrestled a tiger earlier." I say proudly. "I'm going to clean my cut and then we can leave, okay?" Sylias nods still looking concerned and treads off. After cleaning the wound I walk into the living room to see everyone seated at the table, my parents impatient, the twins and Twilight nervous, Sylias and Luna (who still don't get the severity of the games) bored, Sunshine blatantly un-amused, and Lilly looking surprisingly scared. I guess all that big talk doesn't stop the fact her name will be in there 67 times today.

"Finally. Lets go before we're late." My father snaps, standing up and walking out the door. I glance at the older battered clock hung on the wall, matching the chipped paint and banged-up appearance the rest of the house has. 5:04. Approximately 30 minute walk to town and the reaping isn't until 6:00. Late?

Just as I thought, we arrive about 20 minutes early. Everyone who isn't reaping age stands outside a colossal fenced in area awkwardly. The peacekeepers sit at tables outside the ringed-in section as reaping age members of District 7 register and occasionally sign up for tesserae. While our district is in no way as poor as 12, we mostly depend on the other districts to import food to us, which makes it expensive. The tesserae doesn't help too much though, as they give such small supplies we still have to work our butts off to eat, and still be hungry.

Me and Lilly register, sign up reluctantly for tesserae, then walk into the fenced in area. Our District has the possible tributes fenced in due to an occurrence that happened a few years back. They used to have the crowd allow to stand together in an unorganized jumble, until one year a kid snuck off after his name was called. It took the peacekeepers 40minutes to track him down, shoot him through the heart, then choose another male.

This delayed all the reapings in the other Districts, which are on a schedule so the Capitol can watch them live. They figured it was just easier to have us stand inside a large roped in circle then to deal with that again. I shutter at the memory of it, as they even went to such lengths as to publically execute the boy's whole family to prove a point.

I always forget how many people live in District 7 since the living areas are so far apart. You mostly just see a portion of the people at work or in town. But today everyone is in the Town Square. Lilly and I separate somewhere in the crowd of minors, she going to the 17 year olds and I to the 14.

Despite the whole population being forced to be here, it is relatively quiet as everyone sadly stands in tense, uncomfortable positions. The minutes tick by like years. I try to distract myself with what I personally believe to be the dumbest game in the world, but helps take your mind off things. Sylias and Luna used to play it during long boring days.

_Look for something green. _Ugly small fake trees planted in the flowerbeds in front of the stage. _Look for something red_. The Capitol symbol on huge flags strung over our Justice Building. _Something white._ The thousands and thousands of names in the reaping bowl. Okay not helping. _Something black_. The shiny stage where they announce who will die. Also not helping. _Something silver_. The large screens all around where the games will be aired. Okay this isn't helping at all.

After what feels like four torturous life times, the obnoxiously loud speakers blare the Capitol anthem and our mayor walks on stage. He gives his speech about the uprising and how we must remember the dark days of war and the Districts' defeat with our traditional annual Hunger Games. Eventually his large red mustache face finishes the speech, and then the drama queen bounces up on stage.

Every year they have someone from the Capitol pick the names, all of them energetic and artificial. Recently we've had a young man, Chauncey Oddswall, who just about shrieks everything he says with improbable amounts of great happiness. His hair is fluffy and blindingly orange, just like his personality.

"Whooo! Happiest Hunger Games to you all! Lets hear it for the 48th one!" He calls out, looking like someone just told him he was allowed to keep a puppy. The audience however gives a sort of awkward scattered slow clap and a few unenthusiastic 'yeah!'s. Not looking at all fazed by District 7's reluctancy to join him in his ecstasy, he shouts "Yes! That is what I love to hear my darling seven-ers!"

"Now I know usually the ladies go first, but this year we're gonna shake things up a bit!" Chauncey announces, "It's a shaky year! So lets get them boys first!" He bounces over to the large glass bowl on the right of the stage, filled with the males' names. He swishes his arm around a bit and pulls out a small slip of paper. "Vireo Syvallona!" he calls in his odd Capitol accent.

I look around and see an astonished but determined boy walk up to the stage and stand by Chauncey. "So how old are you?" he asks, jamming the microphone into the tributes face. "Si-sixteen." Vireo stammers, not from dismay but from the object being forced in his direction.

"I like 16. 16 is a good age for fun, if you know what I mean." The Capitol escort says with a wink. "So, any volunteers?" he waits a moment. "No? Well, now for the girls!" He cheers, skipping over to the females' reaping ball.

My pulse quickens as his hand swishes around inside. 34 is all I can think. 34 times my name has been in there. There are 34 little slips of white paper with my name on it in that bowl. He pulls out a little piece of paper and looks over the name before saying it aloud. 34 names. 34.

"Flicker Lexington!" Chauncey calls out, then throws the piece of paper to the side.

33.

Flicker Lexington's feet walk across the crowd, as it parts giving her sympathetic glances. She walks up to the stage with a blank mechanic face, her feet moving towards the grinning Chauncey. I look down for a moment and see they're my feet. Where are you going feet? I think sluggishly. Go the other way feet. Don't go that way.

I'm up on the stage and I think Chauncey is talking. His mouth is moving but no sound comes out. There is no noise anywhere except the throbbing of an accelerated heartbeat pounding and pounding, vibrating my fingertips. Then I hear a difference noise, a voice. "I will!" It says gladly. "I will!" I look across the crowd and see Luna waving her hand in the air, being glared at by my mother. Luna's interruption brings me back to reality and I realize Chauncey just asked for volunteers.

Chauncey gives a loud heartfelt laugh. "Maybe when you're older sweetie. Love the enthusiasm though!" he turns to me. "So how old are you missy?" he asks, jamming the microphone in my face as well. "14" I say, surprised at how disengaged I sound, almost like I don't care at all I'm up here. But I do care, and I'm surprised I haven't burst into tears and crammed the microphone into Chauncey Oddswall's throat.

"Well then, before we go I have a little surprise for you all!" he giggles. "Okay, I lied. A big surprise! In honor to celebrate the announcement of President Snow's wife's pregnancy-"

Two peacekeepers come on stage, one carrying a table and the other carrying a bowl larger than the other two. They set them down in the middle of the stage, then take the male and female reaping bowls and pour them both into the large one, not dropping a single slip.

"-We're going to pull another tribute of random gender!" Chauncey squeals. District 7 gasps, looking utterly shocked. Children who looked relieved now look horrified, and parent's eyes well up with tears. I'm too disgruntled to consider that this means another kid dies. Another 12 kids.

The arm goes back into the bowl and searches for a name. Finding one, Chauncey pulls out his arm and reads it. "Chek Martinghale." A pale boy in the crowd eyes widen, and begins trembling. He ever so slowly begins walking up to the stage, stumbling over his feet. Chauncey asks for his age, which turns out to be 12. Under layers and layers of shock and denial, I manage to feel an emotion, pity for the poor boy.

"And here are years 48th tributes! Aren't they lovely? Give it up for, Vireo, Flicker and Chek!" Chauncey screams into the microphone. More awkward applause. Three peacekeepers walk up and escort us off the stage and into the justice building. Two peacekeepers lead Vireo and Chek to separate rooms, and I get led down the long hallways over a red carpet with an interesting spiral design.

I'd probably enjoy the beauty of it all if I wasn't so shell-shocked. The large paintings of pine trees and forests, the captivating lighting fixtures, and the striped wallpaper. The peacekeeper stops outside a door and stands guard outside it, gesturing for me to enter.

"Visitors will be let inside in 10 minutes, each group gets a three minute session." She says. I nod solemnly and enter, hearing the door shut behind me, feeling trapped in this elegant room.

I walk shakily over to a couch and collapse on it. I grab a pillow, burry my face in it, and finally break. I scream into the pillow, tears running down my face, and sob uncontrollably until the peacekeepers let in the first visitors.

My mother and father enter, both looking weary. I try to compose myself by sitting up straighter, and lowering my pillow a bit more so they can actually see my face. My mother starts crying and sits down next to me, blubbering about how hard it is for her and the family. She says how I'll be okay and how much she'll miss me and how I'll always be her daughter. I don't hear much of it and just stare blankly ahead, hugging my knees and crying softly.

Eventually she stops talking and looks at me. "It wouldn't hurt for you to say something, this is really hard for me you know. I just lost a daughter." She sobs. I feel puzzled for a second until I realize the daughter she just lost is me. So much for 'you'll be okay'. I continue to stare at floor, not sure what to say. I wonder if I'll be sad, dying and having this be the final moment I have with my parents. I imagine the whole room lights on fire and I die now. I don't feel too bad about it, I've never been close with them so why should now make a difference?

The peacekeeper comes in and says it's time for the next person, and leads them out. I watch them go feeling numb.

Lilly walks in, looking awkward and distressed. "I'm so sorry Flicker." She wails quietly, sitting beside me. "I….I'm so sorry." I finally stop crying, and instead my breath just becomes slow and uneven. "Why are you visiting me?" I ask, my voice shaking. She looks even sadder. "Because I care about you, you're my sister." She mumbles, "I don't hate you."

"Then why have you never even once told me before? Why did you always torment me?" I ask again. Her eyes widen. "I…I never really wanted you to get hurt." I can't help feeling somewhat annoyed by that comment. "Oh so I'm supposed to forgive you for all the times you have hurt me just because you never meant to?" I snap. "I never seriously hurt you…." She mumbles as though this helps. "You never tried to stop me from getting seriously hurt!" I scream, getting up from where I was sitting.

After ten years of abuse and never saying anything about it, I finally feel all the emotions I've pushed down and try to vent them out by screaming at her. "Like the time you stood by when we were kids and mom held my hand against the stove! Or the time I was fighting with Sunshine and she grabbed a FUCKING KNIFE! Do you know I still have the scar?" I shout.

Lilly just looks horrified and can't seem to do anything but mumble "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" over and over again. Eventually I manage to calm down, realizing I don't want this to be how I say goodbye to Lilly. I sit back down. "Flicker I never did anything about that because I was scared of them too. I wanted Sunshine and mom to love me, and they both do and I never wanted to wreck that. I'm not brave like you, I couldn't volunteer for you. I could never to anything for you!" She sobs.

"I'm not brave." I murmur. "You are _so_ brave Flicker." She says. I don't know what she means by that. I don't feel very brave, in fact I don't feel brave at all. "So, I guess Sunshine isn't going to bring me roses?" I ask, trying to change the subject. I realize find the idea of Sunshine doing such a thing humorous and chuckle. Lilly grins and shakes her head. "If she did they'd probably be black. She's such a psychopath." Lilly says. We both start laughing.

Suddenly Lilly goes back to looking distressed. "Oh Flicker I don't want you to go!" She wails. "I should have volunteered!" I look at her seriously. "Lilly promise me if Anyia get chosen next year you'll volunteer for her." She hesitates then nods. "I will."

I feel disturbed for getting reaped myself now, as I can no longer volunteer for any of them. The peacekeeper walks in again and Lilly gets up and hugs me. A pang of sadness hits me and I wish I had been her friend before. It would have been nice to have someone I could talk to besides the people at school, which I'm not very close with. "Thank you." I whisper to her.

She is escorted out and the shrimps come in. They come and sit by me, looking confused except for Twilight. "They're going to take you away, aren't they Flicker?" She asks sadly after a few moments. I nod. Sylias frowns. "Why? I don't want them to!" He whines. "Are they gunna make you wear weird things like the peoples on the TV?" Luna asks. I nod again. "I have to go to the Capitol, and then go into the games." I say.

"When are you coming home?" Sylias asks. My eyes fill up with tears again, trying to bring myself to say 'I won't be able to come back'. "As soon as she can." Twilight says in sad but steady voice. "Not soon enough." Luna pouts. I smile wanly.

We talk for a few more minutes about simple things, things that don't have to do with the games. After the three minutes, I hug the shrimps goodbye and the peacekeeper lets in the twins. The two of them already have tears streaming down their face and run over to give me back-breaking hugs.

"Flicker you're going to win!" Anyia says, finally letting go. "You will. I promise." Asyga nods, letting go as well. I shake my head. "Whether I come home or not, I need you to do something for me. During next years reaping, tell Lilly to remember that she promised. Okay?" I say seriously. "What did she promise?" Anyia inquires, whipping her nose on the sleeve of her pretty silver dress. I shake my head. "It doesn't matter. Just tell her she promised." I demand. "Okay Flicker, I will." Anyia says. "And talk to Capernina… Caperno… Uh, you know the supervisor in our lumber section, right?" I ask. They both nod. "You can talk to him about getting a job, it's better than working in a factory. Or you can ask Lilly if she knows any shop owners that need workers."

"Should I keep selling bracelets to Mrs. Gemma for her shop?" Anyia questions. "Of course silly, they're great." I answer, ruffling her hair. "Oh that reminds me." She says, pulling back her sleeve to reveal a wrist covered in hand-made bracelets. She slides one off and hands it to me. A pretty one with red metal circles linked together, and attached to each circle a small round wooden coin. I hold it in my hand, looking at the design of the coin. Each one is painted dark green, with a purple blossom on one side and blue on the other.

It never stops amazing me how she can make such fine works of art from scrap metal Sunshine brings home from the factory, and wood scraps I bring home from the lumbering section. Sometimes she gets paint too, as my father works for an 'artist' who sells ugly paintings to the spoiled citizens at the Capitol. When they have paint they don't need she allows him to bring it home for his daughter. "It's beautiful." I say, sliding it on my wrist.

"It's a good luck charm. Asyga helped me, he bent the metal." Anyia explains. "It was supposed to be for your birthday but…" Asyga says, trailing off. "Thanks you guys." I say, hugging them. I wonder if I'll ever live to be 15 in about half a year. I'd have to win the games, as they usually aren't longer than a few months of dressing up the tributes and training them, then the actual games themselves.

Then the peacekeeper comes. "Goodbye Anyia, Asyga, I love you guys." I say as they're escorted them out. I'm surprised to see I have more visitors, four kids from my class that I talk to often at school and sit by at lunch. We talk for awhile before the peacekeeper comes back and this time escorts as all out. I wave goodbye as she leads me to the Justice Building steps where I get into a limousine with the other tributes, three peacekeepers, a chauffeur, and Chauncey.

I'm surprised to see that Vireo hasn't been crying at all judging by his clear face, where Chek's is red and blotchy and still wet. Was he going to volunteer or something like the kids from the rich districts who train for the Hunger Games? He could pass as one, tall and muscular. I wonder if maybe he has been crying and it just doesn't look like it. I wonder if it looks like I've been crying.

I turn to the slightly tinted windows and look at my face. My eyes are little red, but it could pass as being tired because of the purple beneath my eyes. My cheeks are red too but that could also just look like part of my injury because it's obvious something scratched my face. The only thing that really gives me away is my bangs aren't spiking out, they're wet and plastered to my face. I hastily dry them off. I don't need to be completely paranoid about my appearance to the other tributes and possible sponsors, but I need to put in at least some effort not to look weak.

Chauncey turns out to be a lot less happy then he appears. He spends the ride ranting about the most random things, like how much he hates our shoes. Apparently District 7 has the ugliest shoes he's ever seen. I find this ironic because he is wearing ten inch high heels with what looks like orange fluffy cotton balls attached to them. I can't believe this guy is in charge of me. He looks barely older than 18, but so does every one else in the Capitol.

We drive out of town, pass my lumbering section, pass the factories, and into the place where they send the lumber to the capitol and other districts. I haven't been here before, but there isn't much to see other than giant crates of wood. The car finally comes to a stop outside of a train station. Lots of cameras surround us as we step out of the car and enter the station.

The whole place looks new and shiny, and I wonder if they have another one that they use to send off the crates. They clearly have a different train I think as ours pulls into the up, long and silver. The sight of it makes me feel giddy with delight somehow, like I'm going on a fancy adventure. Chauncey gets up on the train first, and I get on after him, turn around, and wave goodbye. I wave to Lilly, Twilight, Anyia, Asyga, Sylias, Luna and to my co-workers and my classmates and Mr. Charles and Clara. I wave goodbye to District 7 and my house. I wave goodbye to my job and my school. I wave goodbye to my old life, then turn and step onto the train and into my new one.


	2. Chapter 2

After living in a run-down house where everything is second hand, and being born in a sap and saw-dust covered district, the train takes my breath away. I look around and see light blue couches by the windows. It looks less like a train and more like a sitting room. I slide across the shiny wooden floor to the other side of the room and catch myself on the wall.

"What are you doing?" Chauncey asks, raising his eyebrows from where he sits on one of the couches, looking bored. I shrug and sit across from him. "So do the couches pull out and become beds or something?" I wonder aloud, investigating the one I'm seated on.

"We're going to be sleeping here?" he screeches as a peacekeeper walks into the room. "I CAN'T SLEEP ON A COUCH!" He rounds on her, "Do you think I'm from the 12th district or something?" She looks at him, puzzled. "Of course not. You each have your own quarters containing a bedroom and a washroom. As well as many dinning rooms."

"Oh, whew." Chauncey sighs with relief. I just gawk at her, dumbfounded. This was very different from the lumber train I was expecting. "There is already a meal prepared in the next room." The peacekeeper says, nodding at the other tributes who I realize have boarded.

I instantly jump up, knowing all to well I haven't eaten anything all day today or yesterday. Chauncey gives out a snort of laughter. "Fatty." He says, sticking out his tongue. I stick mine out in reply, then gladly follow the peacekeeper into the next room.

I soon realize that tributes are treated as well as Capitol citizens. The food is all rich and delicious, and everywhere in the train as well-kept as the rest. Even my wardrobe is packed with clothes I find as I investigate my room later that day. There is even my own bathroom, complete with a large exquisite bath tub big enough for me to lie down it. After showering in hot water for the first time in my life, I change into a large silky white gown I find in one of the drawers.

Slipping into the large bed I'm surprised it's a lot less comfortable then it looks. After awhile of tossing and turning I realize why. This is not the bed Asyga filled with frogs when Sylias was convinced they were sad sleeping outside and let a dozen loose in the house. This is not the bed Anyia climbs into when she has nightmares. This is not where I laid the time I had a fever, and Luna made me a breakfast-in-bed despite the fact we had no food so she just made something awful she called pine-cone-soup.

Trying to hold my tears back, I think of something else. There is no point getting sad about this, I should try to enjoy everything and keep my head held high until the slaughtering comes. If my life is going to end soon, I want to make the most of it.

I wake up the next day to sunshine blaring in from the window. I crawl out of the messed up bed and stumble across to the door. It isn't until I walk out into the hallway do I realize I should probably get dressed. Going back into the room I change into a fancy red skirt and matching top.

Every one except Chek is wide awake and eating breakfast. I'm about to sit by a well-dressed man with a large scar across his face next to Vireo until I hear a bit of their conversation. "…it's better to stab someone, bashing in their head is a big problem because it leaves you covered in blood…"

Not interested in hearing this man talk about how to kill people, I sit by Chauncey who is stuffing his face with a large frosted cake. "Good morning." I say, stacking bacon on my plate. "Nlut entraustar en muuufff?" he asks me, spitting cake on my face. "What?" I ask, whipping my face off with my sleeve. "Not interested in hearing Mr. Murder talk about how he used to bash in heads back in his day?" Chauncey asks.

I look back at the man with more interest, noticing now how familiar he is. Winning the games about 13 years back at the age of 17, Jacob Davenport is definitely the showcase of District 7's victors. We currently have 5, Adara Leizer young, pretty, and sadly insane. Comac Alms would probably be popular if he wasn't so grouchy and actually brushed his hair, and Lylax Jennebera is neither pretty nor young. Then there's Jotham Freestone who's very large build isn't as favorable to the Capitol's as Jacob Davenport's well-toned one.

I have never seen any of them other than on TV, and sometimes I catch a glimpse of them on stage at the reaping, but I'm usually to nervous to notice. Investigating Jacob closer I realize he isn't as handsome as many claim him to be, with choppy black hair and unforgiving dark hazel eyes. I look around and see two of the others there, Lylax Jennebera and Jotham Freestone are also seated at the table.

"That guy is so irritating." Chauncey mumbles. "He dresses sooo… ugh." I'm surprised that's his only complaint, as Jacob is well known for pretending to be nice to lots of tributes, allying with them, then bashing their head in during their sleep. "Speaking of mentors, shouldn't you be talking to yours dummy?" Chauncey asks. "Who's my mentor?" I ask, feeling sheepish for not knowing. "You don't know? Someone's stupid~" He says in a sing-song voice. "It's Jotham, fatty."

I get up and grab my plate. "You're a lot nicer on TV." I say. Chauncey laughs. "I don't get paid for being nice off-stage stupid head." He replies. "How old are you?" I ask. If I couldn't see him I'd guess six. "Twenehm." He answers, forking more cake into his mouth. I'm guessing he said twenty.

I sit by Jotham and suddenly feel very uncomfortable under his agitated gaze. "Hello" I mumble. "I'm Flicker Lexington, you're my mentor right?" He nods. "Yes, I know who you are. And I know what you are, not much to work with."

"I'm not exactly useless," I retort, irritated. I thought mentors were supposed to believe in you? "I can run pretty fast. I'm used to not eating. I can climb trees really well, and I'm very handy with rope." A smirk comes across his face and he slaps me across the back. "Glad to hear it, I won't be training no fragile damsels, got it?" I return his smile and give a determined nod.

"So, you good with axes?" he asks. "Oh…no… I've actually never used one. It's my job climb trees and tie rope around them before their pulled and stuff." I mumble nervously hoping this doesn't deem me as a 'fragile damsel'. He shrugs and goes back to his food. "Did you see the other reapings?" he asks, he shoots a glare at Chauncey after I shake my head. "Whumeff eel duh eett lootar." He grumbles with a mouth full of cake. "Let's watch them now." Jotham says, picking up his plate and walking off. I pick up my plate too. "Oh and put some more meat on that," Jotham orders. "I want you to gain 20 pounds before we get off this train."

I put another slab of meat, and a slice of cake on for good measure hoping I can hold all this food down. My diet is of one small meal a day, including rice, sometimes bread, and often some sort of vegetable. If I'm lucky. Sometimes the kids I sit with at lunch pass me a slice of cheese, if they are lucky enough to have food themselves. Clara often gives me something too. I hate feeling like a charity case but I gladly except, as I often find myself pushing my plate towards my much thinner little siblings.

I seat myself besides Jotham and he turns on the large TV, with the clearest screen I have ever seen. The house doesn't have a TV so when viewing something is mandatory we have to watch it on the large fuzzy screens in the Town Square. "Study them." Jotham advises. "See their weaknesses, asses their value." I feel awful sizing these kids up like a piece of meat, but if I want to win this I need to swallow my morals.

I try my best to remember each name, face, and how strong they look. A few stand out to me. A ridiculously photogenic pair of careers from 1, a deaf boy who volunteers to be with his sister in 3, a girl with incredibly long hair from 4, a small young girl in 8, a very tall girl with purple eyes in 9, and the usual starved children from 12. At my own reaping I look bored and annoyed, like I'm just waiting for it to get over while my cheek continues to bleed. I ask Jotham if this a good thing and he just shrugs. "Hey it's your stylist's job to present your personality, it's my job to present your strengths."

"What are the stylists like?" I inquire. "Annoying as hell." He replies. "Dress you up in the ugliest things, but just trust them. It may look awful but the Capitol likes that stuff." I think about the other games I've seen and the way the tributes looked. "Being naked and smeared with coal is fashionable there?" I ask. "Well…" Jotham says. "Sometimes they make you fashionable and sometimes they just seem to want to humiliate your district."

We spend the rest of the day talking about strategies and what I need to do. He tries his best, but I don't think Jotham is quite sure what to do with me. "Your strength is your most valuable asset in battle," He absent mindedly informed me once. "You need to use your weight and strength when confronted with other tributes." I reminded him I weighed about 100 pounds less than him. "Oh, right." Jotham mumbled. "Well…I guess we'll need a new strategy."

Jotham won the games about 30 years back because of his strength and battle skills, so I guess that's what he usually mentors based on that. He seems better off with someone like Vireo, but I don't dare say this aloud in case he realizes it and decides me and my 102 pounds aren't worth the effort to train. I don't want to get stuck with a mentor like Jacob Davenport, who won because of his awful ways. In all the clips I've seen of him killing the other tributes, he was always laughing.

As for Lylax Jennebera she seems very motherly of Chek who barely comes out of his room. Lylax Jennebera probably wouldn't be the best mentor for me either though, as is very clever and won the games because she set lots of elaborate traps which I don't think I could pull off. I think of our other victors. Comac Alms who won because almost every single tribute died in the blood bath when he had the sense to run. And then Adara Leizer, who had many admirers because of her beauty and giggly personality. She had so many sponsors that everyone wanted to be her ally.

She was thriving in the games until her allies slowly died one by one. Her strategy then turned to hiding, and she ended up lost in a tunnel underground, filled with millions of spiders that crawled all over her body and slithered into her mouth and ears when she slept. Adara slowly started dying of starvation, unable to receive anything from her sponsors while underground. By the time the last few tributes had killed each other above her, she had begun to eat her own flesh.

When the Capitol collected their victor, she was a bloody mess with spiders inside her self-inflicted wounds. They managed to fix everything but her mind, which seemed broken beyond repair. She is constantly under watch in her house in the Victor's Village, never leaving it except for when she has too for interviews or the reaping. She seems to be getting better now except for the fact she always talks as though she still has a mouth crawling with spiders, and sometimes she scratches her own arms until they're so raw and bleeding that someone has to force her to stop.

I cringe remembering watching the games and feeling like crying every time they showed her underground, scared and alone. I was only nine when I saw it, but viewing the games is required. Jotham notices my distressed face. "Wow! Look at the time!" he calls out. I look up at the golden clock and see we have been talking almost all day, as it is now seven o'clock.

After a long dinner in which I kept trying to excuse myself from while Jotham continued to shovel pork onto my plate, I finally went so sleep.

There was this old nightmare I always used to have before the reaping. I would stand in the middle of the forest, while all the trees slowly died, blood pouring out of each one.

The trees couldn't talk but I could still hear them screaming. I kept asking them over and over again why this was happening, and finally two words were said in response. The Games. Then the old Capitol escort that was at the reapings before we got Chauncey two years ago would walk up to me. "Flicker Lexington" She would call out. I would protest, saying I wasn't twelve yet, that she didn't even pull my name, that she couldn't take me. But she'd just keep on smiling blankly and never listen. She would take my by my hands and drag me into a clearing of the forest, the entire ground covered in ash.

"Good luck~" she'd sing and then disappear. I would wander around the clearing until I hear someone sobbing. I'd search for the source of the noise. Then I found a little girl, curled up into a ball and crying, rocking back and forth. I would reach out my hand to help her, but suddenly notice I was holding a long knife, dripping with blood. I'd look back to the girl, horrified, and see I had stabbed her.

"I didn't mean to!" I scream. Suddenly there's a hand on my shoulder. I look up and see Sunshine, smiling broadly.

I eventually stopped having this nightmare until it returned again tonight. It was different though, more vivid, more blood. I am still reaped by the same woman, but it's Adara crying in the clearing this time. And instead of stabbing her I grab a rock, bashing into her skull. I don't want to but I just keep laughing and laughing while she screams and spiders crawl out of her mouth.

By the time she is dead her face is bashed beyond recognition. I stand over her body, smiling a twisted smiling covered in her blood. I blink and the body belongs to Twilight. I stop laughing, but the noise still continues. I whip my head around to find the source and see Sunshine step out of shadows, giggling. More laughing comes, and this time it's from Jacob Davenport. I put my hands over my ears. "Stop!" I scream over and over again but they just get louder and louder until it pounds against my head and blood begins to flow from my ears.

"Good Luck~" The escort sings, the noise all around me. "STOP!" I screech, blood welling up in my own mouth. In a second it's over and I'm awake, clutching my heart and panting. I slowly get out of the bed with trembling legs and fumble around in the dark until I find the bathroom. I turn on the light and give a little jump when I see myself in the mirror. I look like a ghost. A wide-eyed, trembling ghost.

I wash my face in the sink and then look at my reflection again. "You are not that scared little girl anymore," I tell myself firmly. "You grew up." My reflection shakes her and whispers, "We both know that's not true Flicker." She smiles sadly. I wonder if I'm still dreaming as I crawl back into the bed. But suddenly the bed feels a lot less safe. I take the pillows and the thick warm blanket and go back into the bathroom. I place the bedding in the tub and then slip into it.

I dream a much odder, but much less frightening, dream. I'm flying through the sky, riding a fish. At first our conversation is awkward and very quiet with hardly anything said, but then the fish remembers it has something it important to tell me. What is was I never know as it begins talking so fast I don't understand a word of it. The fish's voice becomes very high and squeaky while it continues to ramble on and on, and doesn't stop until six days later.

"I have so many things to tell you," The fish says happily, at a normal pace. "We have barely any time though. Oh no what to do?" It almost sounds as though it is talking in slow motion compared to its previous pace. "Grow more mouths?" I say sarcastically, suddenly regretting it. "That's a GREAT idea Flicker!" It chirps. Suddenly the fish grows several extra heads, all of them talking as high-pitched and fast as the first. The sound overlaps horribly, and I think now is a good time to jump off, even if it means no more free movement of my lower body. I look around for a place to land and notice we are flying over a stream and straight into that big waterfall-

"CHAUNCEY!" I scream, waking up with a gasp as the freezing water drenches my body. My eyes can't quite come in to focus yet but I know it was him. I quickly mess around with the various taps until I turn it off, shivering. "Why won't anyone wake me up nicely?" I wail. "Just yesterday Anyia and Asyga-" I stop. Was it just yesterday? The memory feels very distant, like something I just saw on TV a long time ago. "You didn't wake up... and I didn't want to touch you…ugh…" He says. I throw my sopping wet pillow at him. "How did you even get in here?" I ask. "Asked for the key, Jotham told me to go wake you up. He is sooo bossy. Why are you sleeping in the bath tub crazy?"

Suddenly I realize I am sleeping in a tub and feel embarrassed. "It's so I can take a shower first thing I when wake up. Now get out unless you want to see me naked." I hiss. His eye twitches and he runs out, slamming the door behind him. I do take a quick and very warm shower then go look for clothes to change into.

"You wanted me?" I ask Jotham a few minutes later, rubbing my eyes. "We're gonna be at the Capitol in an hour or so. You gained your 20 pounds yet?" he says, grabbing me a plate and filling it with steak. "No more food!" I moan. "I'm sure I've gained 100 pounds by now." He just sticks the plate in my face. Reluctantly I begin to eat. "I'm probably going to barf up 20 pounds by the time we get off this train." I mutter.

"The arena makes you loose them pounds." He says, shoveling yet more food on my plate when I finish. "If you fat enough you can just keep lasting. So eat!" Chauncey snickers. "Oh she's going to last. Trust me." He says. "See? Chauncey already thinks I'm fat. Isn't that enough?" I grumble. "Last plate okay? And when training starts you can eat however much you want because you're gonna be hungry and eat lots anyway."

I slowly eat the next plate of food, thankfully it's a salad this time and not more meat. I stare out the window dreamily, whishing I could just jump out of it and go live in the wild by myself. I watch the inside of the long tunnel were in, imagining learning how to talk to animals and starting my own society with them.

I feel drowsy and tired from all food. My eyes begin to flutter shut when all of a sudden they snap open as the train pulls into it. The Capitol. Everything is so grotesquely bright and artificial I think, viewing all the strange looking people I've seen on TV. With their modified bodies and odd fashions. Chauncey runs to the window. "Ha ha! I missed this place!" he cheers, even though he's only been gone for about two days.

"Come look fatty!" He says, beckoning me to him. I walk over and lean outside the window beside him. "See? Isn't this so much better than your ugly little towns?" Chauncey asks, sighing in admiration at his city. "Isn't it the most beautiful thing in the world?"

I wrinkle my nose in disgust at this shiny artificial place, thinking of the long walks Twilight and I used to take into the forest to get water from the well. Deep in the forest, where not everything is a forced grown pine tree, but beautiful old oaks and maples with flowery vines wrapped around them. It is about a three mile round trip to get to the well, and hard work lugging the water jugs back. But it's worth it to spend time out there, which I haven't had lately between work, school, and chores.

"Have you ever climbed a tree barefoot?" I ask, equally dreamy thinking of my favorite tree. A hundred foot tall one right by the well I always climbed when the water jugs were filling. One sleepless night I slipped out and climbed all the way to the top, and just waited till the sun rose, watching the stars.

It's moments like that I wish I could share with someone else, not alone, not even with my siblings. I always feel lonely when I wish for that though, because I don't really have a friend I'd like to share that with. The shy kids I sit with at school have never worked because their parents made enough, so I doubt they've even been in the forest. Let alone spent the night a hundred feet up in a tree. They'd probably just whine they were cold instead of enjoying the unearthly feeling. Like I could almost touch the sky and pull myself out of this world, if only I could reach out a few more inches.

He rolls his eyes. "Why would I ever want to do something like that?" I remember I've asked him the question. "Chauncey if I win the games I'm going to force you to climb a tree." I say, giggling at the idea of him in nature, without his precious ten inch heels. "Ew, no. And you will get out, I heard whales can survive a long time in harsh conditions."

It takes me a moment to recall what a whale is, then I think of the humongous fish-like creature I've seen only photos of. They're incredibly rare and have only been spotted a handful of times in District 4, which is by the ocean where they live. So I guess I've evolved from a fatty to a giant 200 ton fish. Lovely.

The people in the streets wave excitedly as the train rolls past the strange rainbow citizens. I just smile serenely and wave back, enjoying the breeze on my face. I see Chauncey is back to his on-stage self, grinning hugely and waving vigorously to everybody, blowing them kisses. He acts as though they've all gathered round to see him, and not the kids who will be slaughtered this year. I stop smiling.

The train slows down more and more until it's pulled to a complete stop. Jotham comes into the room carrying a plate filled with cookies. He steps between us and hands me the plate. "Incase you want a snack before we set the monsters loose on you." I shove the plate back into his arms. "No. No. No. No more food!" I beg. Chauncey takes the plate from his arms and begins snacking on them himself.

"Wait, monsters?" My pulse quickens. They aren't going to send us into the arena right now, are they? No… that would be ridiculous. No training, no interviews, no parade, no meeting the other tributes. But apparently it was 'a shaky year', maybe the Capitol is just trying to show us the games have no rules, that they can just do whatever they want.

"Yeah." Jotham replies. "The stylists. Trust me Flicker, they're worse than any mutts you gonna find in that arena." Realizing I had panicked over nothing, I shrug and give an embarrassed giggle. "Well come on," Jotham says. "Let's go meet your monster." I stand up and stretch, my back hurting from leaning out the window. I follow Jotham through the train, until we're in the sitting room I first arrived in. A red eyed Chek Martinghale is being held in comfort by an agitated looking Lylax, while Jacob Davenport it talking to Vireo. I step off the train first, into the light of what feels like another sun shining on a different planet.

**...**

**Okay, this is about as far as I got. I have like another half chapter after this. After my friends gave up on their stories I became disheartened. I might actually finish it someday. If someone enjoyed this story and would like to hear more, I'll probably continue it. I actually have a lot of ideas I think would be fun to write.**


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